​CBS News Poll: Who was the best James Bond?

Over the past 50 years there have been 23 official James Bond films, and the character has been portrayed by six different actors. So who was the best Bond?

Americans strongly favor the first man to portray the character in film, with 51 percent picking Sean Connery as the best James Bond.

Connery originated the role in the 1962 film "Dr. No." He would go on to star in five more Bond adventures, in addition to the non-official 1983 Bond film, "Never Say Never Again."

Irish actor Pierce Brosnan, who starred as Bond in four films beginning with 1995's "Goldeneye," was a very distant second in our poll, picked by 12 percent of Americans, barely edging out the series' most prolific (and oldest) Bond, Roger Moore (11 percent).

Moore bowed as 007 in 1973's "Live and Let Die," and starred in six more Bond films, through "A View to Kill." When that film premiered in 1985, Moore was 57 years old.

Eight percent of respondents pick Daniel Craig, the current wearer of the Bond mantle (most recently in "Skyfall"), while one percent each pick Timothy Dalton ("The Living Daylights") or George Lazenby ("On Her Majesty's Secret Service") as the best Bond.

Both men (50 percent) and women (53 percent) favor Connery by a wide margin, though Moore comes in second among men, while Brosnan comes in second among women.

Despite having officially retired from the role more than 40 years ago, Connery is by far the favorite Bond of Americans both young and old, though he is particularly well regarded by those 55 and older. Pierce Brosnan comes in second among those under 45, while Roger Moore comes in second among those 45 and over.

This poll was conducted by telephone July 16-20, 2014 among 1,024 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Media, Pa. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.